Code Text

Business and Professions Code - BPC

DIVISION 3. PROFESSIONS AND VOCATIONS GENERALLY [5000 - 9998.11]

CHAPTER 1. Accountants [5000 - 5158]

( Chapter 1 repealed and added by Stats. 1945, Ch. 1353. )

ARTICLE 5. Certificates, Information and Records [5080 - 5095]

( Article 5 heading repealed and added by Stats. 1959, Ch. 310. )

5093.

(a) To qualify for the certified public accountant license, an applicant who is applying under this section shall meet the education, examination, and experience requirements specified in subdivisions (b), (c), and (d), or otherwise prescribed pursuant to this article. The board may adopt regulations as necessary to implement this section.

(b) (1) An applicant for admission to the certified public accountant examination under this section shall present satisfactory evidence that the applicant has completed a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a degree-granting university, college, or other institution of learning accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency included in a list of
these agencies published by the United States Secretary of Education under the requirements of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.), or meeting, at a minimum, the standards described in subdivision (c) of Section 5094. The total educational program shall include a minimum of 24 semester units in accounting subjects and 24 semester units in business-related subjects. This evidence shall be provided at the time of application for admission to the examination, except that an applicant who applied, qualified, and sat for at least two subjects of the examination for the certified public accountant license before May 15, 2002, may provide this evidence at the time of application for licensure.

(A) An applicant enrolled in a program at an institution as described in this paragraph that grants conferral of a baccalaureate degree upon completion of the 150 semester units required by paragraph (2) of this
subdivision may satisfy the requirements of this paragraph if the applicant’s institution mails the applicant’s official transcript or its equivalent together or separately with a letter signed by the institution’s registrar, or its equivalent, directly to the board pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 5094. The letter shall include all of the following:

(i) A statement that the applicant is enrolled and in good standing in a program that will result in the conferral of a baccalaureate degree upon completion of either a master’s degree or the 150 semester units required by paragraph (2) of this subdivision.

(ii) A statement that the applicant has completed all requirements, including general education and elective requirements, for a baccalaureate degree and the only reason the college or university has yet to confer the degree is because the applicant is enrolled in a program
that confers a baccalaureate degree upon completion of either a master’s degree or the 150 semester units required by paragraph (2) of this subdivision.

(iii) The date on which the applicant met all of the college’s or university’s requirements for conferral of a baccalaureate degree.

(B) The total educational program for an applicant described in subparagraph (A) shall include a minimum of 24 semester units in accounting subjects and 24 semester units in business-related subjects. This evidence shall be provided at the time of application for admission to the examination, except that an applicant who applied, qualified, and sat for at least two subjects of the examination for the certified public accountant license before May 15, 2002, may provide this evidence at the time of application for licensure.

(2) An
applicant for issuance of the certified public accountant license under this section shall present satisfactory evidence that the applicant has completed at least 150 semester units of college education, including a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a college or university, meeting, at a minimum, the standards described in Section 5094, the total educational program to include a minimum of 24 semester units in accounting subjects, 24 semester units in business-related subjects, and, after December 31, 2013, shall also include a minimum of 10 units of ethics study consistent with the requirements set forth in Section 5094.3 and 20 units of accounting study consistent with the regulations promulgated under subdivision (c) of Section 5094.6. This evidence shall be presented at the time of application for the certified public accountant license. Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed inconsistent with Section 5094 or 5094.6. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to be inconsistent with
prevailing academic practice regarding the completion of units.

(c) An applicant for the certified public accountant license shall pass an examination prescribed by the board.

(d) (1) The applicant shall show, to the satisfaction of the board, that the applicant has had one year of qualifying experience. This experience may include providing any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, attest, compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax, or consulting skills.

(2) To be qualifying under this section, experience shall have been performed in accordance with applicable professional standards. Experience in public accounting shall be completed under the supervision or in the employ of a person licensed or otherwise having comparable authority under the laws of any
state or country to engage in the practice of public accountancy. Experience in private or governmental accounting or auditing shall be completed under the supervision of an individual licensed by a state to engage in the practice of public accountancy.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the board may, by regulation, allow experience in academia to be qualifying under this section.

(e) Applicants completing education at a college or university located outside of this state, meeting, at a minimum, the standards described in Section 5094, shall be deemed to meet the educational requirements of this section if the board determines that the education is substantially equivalent to the standards of education specified under this chapter.

(f) An applicant who has successfully passed the examination requirement specified
under Section 5082 on or before December 31, 2013, may qualify for the certified public accountant license without satisfying the 10 semester units of study set forth in Section 5094.3 or 20 semester units of accounting study consistent with the regulations promulgated under Section 5094.6, if the applicant completes all other requirements for the issuance of a license on or before December 31, 2015.